25 minutes too late
by iwha
Summary: You'll never know how much everything you have meant to you until it slipped right through your fingers.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Prince of Tennis, nor the song 25 minutes. They are owned by their respective creators, publishers, etc.

**A/N:** Hiya! it's been a while since I've wrote a PoT fic. I tried TezuSaku this time. To be honest, this was supposed to be a KHR fic but somehow it turned out like this? :3 I dunno what happened.. xDD When I wrote this, I immediately thought of Tezuka. The timeline of this fic is a bit vague, but I almost always follow canon most of the time, so the timeline of this story is somewhat well... canon-ish. Since I'm already on the roll, I might as well continue for the heck of it. In the middle of writing this, I considered Yukimura and Echizen instead but I immediately scrapped the idea as soon as it entered my head. It feels very predictable if I DO pursue that idea. So I stuck with this and voila! here's my new baby!

* * *

_**After some time I've finally made up my mind**__**  
**__**She is the girl and I really want to make her mine**__**  
**__**I'm searching everywhere to find her again**__**  
**__**To tell her I love her**__**  
**__**And I'm sorry 'bout the things I've done**_

I smiled a little as I got out of Narita Airport. It's been almost ten years since I've been here in Japan. In these past years, I've been chasing after my dream to become a Pro and I did. But not without a prize, I had to let go of my most important person. I've been regretting that mistake for years but now, I'll correct that mistake. I'll tell her that I love her and that I'll never let her go again. Not this time.

_**I find her standing in front of the church**__**  
**__**The only place in town where I didn't search**__**  
**__**She looks so happy in her wedding dress**__**  
**__**But she's crying while she's saying this**_

After a few days of searching, I finally found her at the church where I had told her my decision to go to Germany. She looked so beautiful, she's radiating with happiness. She wore a white long dress, I saw her throw the bouquet in her hand and then linked arms with another, and she gave that person the very look she often gave me. It brought tears to my eyes. I just stood there like time had just stood still. The ring in my right hand fell down. The small clink it made seemed so loud to me. I can't look away. I can't move. I can't breathe. She looked so happy; I couldn't bear to ruin her special day. I have always wanted to have her stand by me forever but I guess, it doesn't matter now, it's my entire fault. May that man make her happy and love her like how much I loved her in his entire life. I gulped down bitter lump that formed in my throat. I've always said to 'never let your guard down' and now that had come back and hit me hard.

_**Boy I missed your kisses all the time but this is**__**  
**__**Twenty five minutes too late**__**  
**__**Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry you are**__**  
**__**Twenty five minutes too late**_

It seemed like an eternity, but I managed to move. I turned my back from the bitterly beautiful scene behind me and was about to walk away when someone tapped me from behind.

"Mitsu-kun?"

I froze almost immediately, it can't be. It just can't be. I slowly turned around and there she is, in her beautiful white dress. She just looked so painfully beautiful, so…. so beautiful, I want to kiss her so bad. But she's not mine. Not anymore.

"Sakuno"

I heard her choke back a sob. Tears are running down her beautiful face. She put a hand to her lips, even if she's crying; she's still look so beautiful. I let my own tears to run down my face. She told me, I was twenty-five minutes too late. She even asked for my forgiveness. I shook my head and told her that it isn't her fault but my own and said that I should be the one to ask her to forgive me. Even if it breaks me, I asked her if she love him. She said yes, she said…. She loved him very much. She said sorry yet again as she cried. Her new husband approached us and gently tapped her on the shoulder, almost instinctively; she hung close to him, her back facing me. I silently watched as he comforted her in front of me. We looked at each other silently. Assessing the each other, after a while, I told him.

"Love her and treasure her always."

"You don't need to say that, you don't have to worry"

I curtly nodded and slowly walked away. The image of her crying and the words she had just said will probably haunt me for the rest of my life. The regret and pain will probably stay with me for as long as I lived. When I was in a considerable distance, far away to disturb them but close enough to see her clearly, I let myself to linger for a moment and let this be the one last lingering memory of her be etched in my mind. She's not crying anymore. They are both kissing. Everyone in there are cheering and wishing them good wishes.

_**Against the wind I'm going home again**__**  
**__**Wishing be back to the time when we were more than**__**  
**__**Friends**__**  
**_

As I walked home alone, hands in my pockets, the ring I was supposed to give to her was inside there as well, the wind softly gone past me. At my back, the sun sets painfully beautiful, spilling its color of light orange and red. Dusk is now approaching. I suppose I should've seen it coming. People change, people fell in and out of love. I had hurt her so bad and it tore me up inside. I supposed that I deserved this, but still, it hurts so badly.

_**But still I see her in front of the church**__**  
**__**The only place in town where I didn't search**__**  
**__**She looks so happy in her wedding dress**__**  
**__**But she cried while she's saying this**_

After almost a week, I've gone back to Germany. I focused all my energy in playing tennis. I never did love another like how much I loved her. And then days passed, weeks and then months. The image of her crying still etched in my mind. The image of her in that dress and the words she had said still echoed in my head. I won many titles, won the Wimbledon a few times, but it doesn't satisfy me like how it did when I was younger. I shouldn't be thinking like this. I shouldn't.

_**Boy I missed your kisses all the time but this is**__**  
**__**Twenty five minutes too late**__**  
**__**Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry you are**__**  
**__**Twenty five minutes too late**_

A couple of years had passed by; I heard she got a child on the way now. Their first child. I can't help but wondered on the what-ifs.

_**Out in the streets**__**  
**__**Places where hungry hearts have nothing to eat**__**  
**__**Inside my head**__**  
**__**Still I can hear the words she said**_

A few more years had passed, by coincidence I saw her again. She was glowing as she happily plays with her child, a toddler now, and she looked like she's having her second child. The child's very adorable. He has her hair color but with her husband's eyes. I smiled a little, a little euphoric and nostalgic, she's having a good and comfortable life. I'm glad.

_**Boy I missed your kisses all the time but this is**__**  
**__**Twenty five minutes too late**__**  
**__**Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry you are**__**  
**__**Twenty five minutes too late**_

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and leaned back on a near wall. The training is hard but fruitful. I then took a shower and changed my clothes. Since I had a couple of hours to spare, I decided to have a scenic walk. Lately, I had little time to relax. It is autumn now and the leaves falling down the trees looked a little lonesome. I stopped walking and sat down to a nearby bench. I let myself reminisce these past few years.

_**Boy I missed your kisses all the time but this is**__**  
**__**Twenty five minutes too late**__**  
**__**Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry you are**__**  
**__**Twenty five minutes too late**_

"Tezuka"

Someone sat beside me; I turned my head a little and was mildly surprised to see her husband here.

"Atobe"

He nodded curtly as I looked at him in the eye, my face devoid of the inner turmoil inside me. Even though years have already passed, losing her is still fresh from my mind and the wound in my heart, although slowly healing, it still ached painfully.

"You know, it took me years before I got her to love me the same way she loved you."

I didn't say a thing, just listening closely.

"Thank you though, for not stealing her away from me on that day."

I just nodded.

"Does she… is she happy?"

"Yes, truly and completely"

"Hn"

We were silent for a while, children playing and other people going about their daily lives are the only sounds fill in between the two of us. I first thought it would be awkward and nerve-wracking to be with a former rival but it isn't. It's still awkward but not as much. I contemplated on the things that had happened these past few years. Maybe…. It's time to finally let go.

"Atobe"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad that she's happy. Keep on doing that and never let your guard down."

"That, you didn't need to remind me. But thanks for the advice. I've got to go, the missus will be worried."

"Hn"

I watch him stood up and walk away.

_**I can still hear her say**_

After a few minutes, I too stood up from my seat and walked on the opposite direction. I am now ready to whatever comes in my way. I'm finally letting go.


End file.
